MEATing
by Cassius Valens 06
Summary: It was yet again a new interesting day; if you consider finding the Captain of the Strawhat Pirates in the real world interesting, then yes. Paigee had no choice, but to take care of him while looking for a way back. While he's here, he learns about this 'sugee' world and learns 'other' things. Did Paigee really had no choice to take him in or did she?
1. Chapter 1

** Heyoo~ Cassy here =3= Well, this is my first story and I'm still a newbie. I'm 13 alright? D: I don't wanna grow up… aside from my sudden complaint, yes I complained right here, right now; let's get back to the story. I'll be informing you about how I'll be updating this weekly, yes weekly; I made up my mind. :P I'm going to warn you now that I might not be able to always abide by my promised updates, why? Studies is my top priority, I'm a freshman here in my place. I entered high school this June :D In a new school, a new start. Haha okay. Exams are coming, 2 days left. I cannot accept low grades. TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE! Well, enjoy the story =3=**

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Chapter 1

Something didn't felt right today. It was an ordinary school day, nothing special. I woke up early in the morning, ate breakfast and left my summer house, quite normal if you ask me. My gut was giving me a bad feeling though, as if something's going to happen right here, right now. I just sighed and ruffled my brown hair as I walked on the street. I was so concentrated on walking home I didn't notice the huge chunk of meat that was thrown across merely a centimeter from my face that came from my right. I swear I almost had a heart attack as I held my chest where my heart is supposed to be. My head swiftly turned to the direction where the huge meat that caused my near death experience; it was the city's meat shop.

My eyes widened in shock. Before I could pinch myself to tell whether this is merely my imagination, my feet, as if it had its own mind, walked inside the store. It isn't a dream after all, just crazy old reality. Another chunk of meat was thrown at my direction, which I easily dodged; I was prepared after all. It was none other than Monkey D. Luffy; who else would go crazy because of meat, probably me, but I'm right here. I sighed and approached Luffy who was throttling the poor store owner, but of course with no intention of killing the man. "Hey!" I called their attention which was quite successful as they turned their heads to me. I suddenly bowed down, "I apologize for my friend's behavior Mister!" Luffy just tilted his head out of confusion with a raw meat stuffed in his mouth. He let go of the store owner and spitted out his meat. Before Luffy could've question me, I instantly grabbed his shoulder; not his arm or hand since it might extend since he's made out of rubber and it'll make the store owner faint. I grabbed some cash inside my pocket and slammed it on the cashier, then proceeded to go outside with Luffy.

I let go of his shoulder and grabbed his hand instead as we walked down the street. "Oi, what's your name?" Luffy suddenly broke the silence. I stopped, surprised to hear him speak; Gosh, it's really him. "Uhm, I'm Paigee." I answered him without facing him, but I'm guessing he's grinning widely again. "I see. I'm Monkey D. Luffy and I'm gonna be the Pirate King!" I knew he'd say that. "I know." I plainly replied. We continued walking until we reached my house. "Sugee! This is where you live?!" Luffy had sparkling eyes by now. "Well yes." He was quite amazed by the sight. The house was actually a summer house, which was very pretty.

We entered the house. I slipped off my shoes even if there's no one to nag me into keeping them at the side of the doorstep. Luffy just ran off into the house, into the living room to be specific. I sighed; why did I even took him? _Isn't it because you liiiiike him? Hmmm? _I squinted my eyes in annoyance. That annoying voice in my head is back. I heard a crash, which wasn't something to be surprised by with Luffy in the house. I yelled, "Luffy! What did you do?" My voice wasn't angry though, just my plain voice. "Do you got any food…?" I knew it, he destroyed something and he's going all innocent. I entered the living room to see shattered porcelain on my carpet which formerly was a flower vase. I grabbed his rubber hand which surprisingly was soft and warm and led him to my kitchen. "I'm going to cook some food so you need to behave or I'm going to kick you out of here, understood?" I placed my two arms at my waist forming two triangles. Luffy just nodded enthusiastically and I ended up sighing. This is going to be troublesome.

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** I kinda find Luffy cute~ even if he stuffs meat in his mouth =3= If you're wondering why Paigee wasn't shocked that she saw an anime character right there, there wasn't really a particular reason. She just wasn't surprised. Life was full of surprises before, so she won't be surprised anymore. Okay. My headphones are broken :( I can't focus on studying tonight properly... Tsk. Well, I'm currently cramming so if you'd excuse me~ Oh wait I didn't need your permission in the first place :P**


	2. Chapter 2

**I'm SO SO SO SO SORRY! School is hellish. I'm 13. Makes sense, doesn't it? I know, It's a responsibility of an author. STILL. ugh. I hate life! o I pretty much have lots of stuff to do and I'm really cramming right now! I had to do Parish service, help in cleaning the parish I belong in. Sooo yeah, I had to try and finish this! It has already been 12 days! (hasn't it?) so I had to add a new chapter. T^T I'm so sorry again. I swear if I wasn't able to post this chapter, I couldn't have slept tonight, but wait. Who said I was gonna sleep?! Yohohoho~**

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Chapter 2

The stars were twinkling and an aromatic steam seeped out from a pretty summer house. The meat was sizzling under the fire, while the young girl was chopping potatoes for boiling. The girl was busy, yes she was, but the desperate breathing of a certain young man wearing a straw hat just behind the busy girl didn't really help. _Calm down, Paigee. CALM DOWN. _The chopping stopped; Paigee closed her eyes out of irritation and turned around. The sight was quite… childish. Luffy was seated on his chair and held his hands together while whistling innocently which just made it more obvious. Paigee could almost picture a bright yellow halo above his head which made her giggle quietly. She placed one of her arms at her side and wore a half-hearted frown. "That's been the sixth time already." Luffy just tilted his head as if he was confused with a small smile on his face. "What're you talking about?" Paigee just face palmed herself for even asking.

Finally, Dinner was ready; it was a moment ago. Paigee cooked dishes that will make a carnivore cry in happiness. _No wonder you cooked lots of meat, you want Luffy to appreciate you. Ha! A naïve little girl you are._ "Hey Paigee, what are you waiting for? Dig in!" Paigee was holding a fork and pointing it at herself before Luffy spoke up. "Right," Paigee sighed and started eating. The table that once contained Meat, meat, meat, mashed potatoes, corn with butter, and orange juice, all gone in a single inhale of Luffy; of course he spared Paigee's food as a form of respect for cooking all those. Luffy let out a satisfied exhale, "Thanks for the meal!"He flashed me his infamous grin; Wow, I never thought his grin could tug the end of my mouth forming a small smile. I continued eating while he was patting his huge belly. I decided to ask him something, "Hey Luffy, why are you here in this world?" Paigee asked that as if it's the most normal thing to ask. Luffy simply responded, "I don't know. I was with my crew a week ago. We just left that creepy island where we found a new nakama! Our musician! You really got to meet him. His name is Brook and he's an actual skeleton! Cool, right? He can actually poop, you know? Ah! I need to get back to my crew! You got to help me Paigee!" Paigee stayed silent for a few seconds and decided to speak, "Wait. Wait. Wait. WAIT!" She held her open palms in front of him. "Would you mind telling me exactly what happened first?" She made sure to emphasize the word "exactly." Luffy pouted childishly and said, "Can we go somewhere more comfortable?" he asked with innocent looking eyes. I sighed, "Fine."

We ended up in my living room. Luffy was sprawled on the red velvet carpet watching television, as if he forgot the main reason why we moved in this area. "Luffy." I twitched slightly, "What?" He tilted his head and I swear, question marks are written all over his face. "How did you end up here?" I finally asked. "I told you, we just left Thriller Bark. I fell from the Sunny Go. I woke up here; I got hungry and I met you." He smiled casually at me. "I guess we'll just have to find a way to get you back, soon." Luffy suddenly bowed down his head causing me to give him a questioning look. "Thank you so much! Really, thank you!" He yelled out in somewhat a mixture of happiness and another emotion. I looked down at him; I could feel a slight blush on my cheeks. "I-it's not like I want to help yo-you! I'm j-just worried about the food stock, t-that's all!" I wanted to punch myself for acting like some kind of tsundere or something.

"Ah by the way," Luffy cut me off and I looked at him, this time he's raised his head. I couldn't believe he said that as if it was the most normal thing to say to a girl, the two of them alone in her house, "Where are we going to sleep?"

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**I'm starting to get the hang of cliffies ;D Hope I'll be able to post a new chapter soon. T^T My work load isn't really decreasing, it's getting piled and stacked up. *sigh* gomen...**


	3. Chapter 3

**WOOT! WOOT! I diiiid it! :D I was able to finish chapter 3 quicker than before (finished it yesterday). DING DING DING! This is a bonus chapteeer xD It's longer than the first 2 chapters, but I'll probably make all upcoming chapters THIS LONG. Good news for you, Bad news for me, haha xD but who said school loosened up? I'm busier than ever! Dx I just got home from school, my brain all overheated because of the Essay Writing contest I participated in. I gotta study for the subjects tomorrow. Encode some stuff. Continue making my project (a comic strip) and the most common thing of all~~ *drum roll* Homework, OH DEADLY Homework, how I despise you.! Good luck to me in the contest~! I wonder what the results are~ ohoho**** I'm an honor student. I don't wanna lose to anyone! I'm competitive, am I? I need to redeem myself too! I didn't get the highest score in our Computer Exams, *gloomy* my rival even beat me by 2 points, tsk. Weeeeell, enough of me and more of fanficy~ that kinda sounds… err.. nevermind. xD**

**[Warning] Paigee and Luffy moment here! haha, no it's not pervy :P Luffy's pure and so is Paigee... is she? haha just kidding. xD**

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Chapter 3

My face was redder every second of silence that passed. I was burning red and extremely flushed; to make it worse, Luffy looked sternly at me as if he's serious. "W-what are y-you talking ab-bout?!" I shrieked shortly after Luffy placed the back of his hand on my forehead. "You're burning up! Paigee."

Before I could even respond he suddenly exclaimed, "I know!" He stretched his rubber arm to the kitchen and rummaged the fridge. He grabbed a covered container and presented it to me. I removed the cover and my mouth gaped, it was some leftovers of dinner. I mentally face palmed myself. Luffy looked as if he's praising himself. Fortunately, I regained my composure and my face returned to its pale complexion. "Ah. You're not sick anymore… it worked! Shishishi!" Luffy mightily huffed as I sighed, then he started eating the leftovers he presented to me.

"Well?" Luffy asked curiously as he yawned, "Where are we going to sle-" I cut him off before he could finish his statement. "You mean where are YOU going to sleep." I looked at him with my arms folded. "You're not going to sleep?" He tilted his head questioningly. "I have my own room, so where are you going to sleep?" I told him a bit sternly. "Can't I sleep in your room also?" He plainly asked not knowing what he's kinda implying. "N-no." I almost lost my composure. "Why noooot? I bet your room is very soft and fluffy!" Luffy simply grinned which I responded with a stiff look expressing my disagreement, resulting into him pouting.

Suddenly, Luffy fell on the carpet while holding the container which used to contain the leftovers. I was shocked and worried at his sudden fall and turned him over so I could see his face. He was sleeping soundly, kinda cute actually. I bent down to inspect his face a bit. He looks so peaceful. I sighed, I should stop. He must be pretty tired, searching for his nakama in a world alien to him, with complete strangers surrounding him. I flung his arm on my shoulder and tried my best to lift him up, only successful after a few tries. I laid him on the nearby sofa, I can't bring him in my bedroom anyways. That statement seems wrong. I ruffled my hair and went to the kitchen to wash the dishes.

After I finished cleaning up everything, I decided to finally go to bed. Before I headed upstairs, I glanced at Luffy's sleeping figure before ascending the staircase.

I was awoken from my slumber by a slight creak of my bedroom door. I was seriously freaking out inside while I maintained my cautious look in the outside. I suddenly remembered Luffy. I became anxious and worried if he's okay because _What if a thief busted in and stabbed Luffy? He can't be shot, but he can be cut! And what if the thief is after me now? Goodness, I'm being way too paranoid._

I was pulled out of my thoughts by the sudden burst of the door with a figure which will seemingly lunge at me, so I quickly scrambled out of bed, rolled on my bedroom carpet and went into a kneeling position ready to defend myself. I maybe an ordinary girl, but I lived here alone for a long time now, so I'm pretty much experienced at situations like this. The figure was tangled by the blankets of my bed, so I took the chance to run to Luffy downstairs in case he's injured. On my way, I accidentally bumped on the light switch which was by my bedroom doorway. The lights were open. The figure rose. I turned my back. My face had a cautious look on my face. My eyes widened.

"What the hell are you doing here?! LUFFY!" I yelled at him while he just sleepily rubbed his eyes. "Don't be so loud, Paigee. It's past midnight and why are you in a threatening position awhile ago?" He asked, blinking his eyes every now and then. A vein popped on my forehead. "Answer. My. Question. First." Luffy was sitting stiffly on the carpet with a red throbbing lump on his head. "I had a nightmare." He pouted slightly. "And what is that nightmare about?" I raised my eyebrow when he responded with a serious tone yet a very childish pout on his face. "I dreamt about losing my crew, one by one." His face became a bit serious. His eyes had a blank look and it was obvious that he panted when he woke up because of the sweat marks he has all over his body. My face loosened up a bit and my eyes turned soft.

Luffy was gripping his shorts when I kneeled down facing him. He didn't react nor flinch at my sudden approach. I wrapped my arms around him and embraced him. He was a little sweaty and shaky, but he was warm. I felt Luffy's body tensed up a little and his eyes widened slightly as if he just noticed what I did. "Don't worry. You're strong enough, Luffy. I know." I told him in a quiet voice and he embraced me tighter to my surprise. "Thanks Paigee!" He cheerfully said. I relaxed a bit when he sounded cheerful again and when he finally let go. "Sooo…" Luffy said in an innocent tone, "Can I sleep here?" My cheeks felt a bit hot, "NO!"

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**Oh Luffy you! lol. I updated earlier than before sooo I might update at the end of next week (awwww.. D: ) They're advancing quite faster than I expected. Hmm. **


	4. Chapter 4

**I'm sleepy and tired. *yawn* My legs are experiencing muscle pains because of prolonged seating position. Coffee's not working. Ugh. My eye lids are sliding down and covering my vision. Noooooo! Must. Finish. Assignments. *snore* Ah..! seriously, my mind is hazy and my eyelids are falling down. Also, I stayed up until 1am last night and woke up at 5am JUST FOR A FREAKING PROJECT! asdfgh T^T I want to pinch myself; oh wait, I already did. Yohoho~! I've been blinking abnormally. Tssk.**

**Note: I might change the story's title to 'MEATing' lol, I find it hilarious and unique ;) just post a review about it and tell me your opinion on it. Also, I might not update for the next two(?) weeks or more. TERM exams are coming. I seriously need to redeem myself! I've been beaten by my rival, tss! Chaaaarge! **

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Chapter 4

The sun was shining and the birds were chirping harmoniously. It was a bright and sunny day. The sunlight pierced through Paigee's eyelids causing her to slowly open her eyes. Her mind was a bit hazy at first until it slowly and surely cleared. She rubbed one of her eyes and her eyes darted around the room. _It was normal as usual,_ she thought. _Everything was probably a dream,_ she thought again. _Or was it? _ She yawned before leaving her warm and soft bed. As she walked carefully downstairs, she heard a loud snoring noise. _It wasn't a dream after all. _A small smile formed on her face before she continued to the kitchen. _Tick, Tock, Tick. Why does it seem like I'm forgetting something? _ She has questioned herself that ever since she entered the kitchen. As she poured some milk into a simple glass, a ringing sound was heard. It sounded a lot like an Alarm clock, or one of those school b-

"Ahck!" Paigee shrieked followed by Luffy's entrance into the kitchen. "What's for breakfast, Paigee?" Luffy smiled cheekily. Luffy wore a questioning look as Paigee remained silent. She appeared to be in utter shock; widened eyes and gaping mouth, still continuously gaping. "Luffy," Paigee suddenly broke the silence. "Take a bath." Luffy responded with a slight frown on his face, "Ehhh? But I only bathe once a week." "Don't ask. Just do it." Paigee sternly said. Luffy didn't bother asking anymore because he didn't want to have a new lump on his head and instead, he headed to the bathroom. Paigee suddenly got out of her somewhat trance-like shock she experienced just now. Realization slapped her square on the face as she remembered what she told Luffy. She dashed out of the kitchen and headed to her room. Paigee flipped her wardrobe open and she got into a deep thought.

Luffy went out of the bathroom soaked with only a towel wrapped around his waistline. As a devilfruit user, he was weak against water so he didn't really look refreshed at all. Water was dripping from his dark hair as he dragged himself upstairs.

Paigee was just about to finish dressing up as she was buttoning her blouse when she heard her bedroom door opening, revealing a newly showered Luffy. Luckily, Paigee only had her bellybutton exposed, but of course, it did not fail to make the girl all flustered. Her poker face became red instantly and she shoved Luffy out of the bedroom; slamming the door in the process. "Haven't you heard of knocking?!" She yelled at the other side of the door. "I just thought of asking you what's for breakfast." He innocently replied. _Thank goodness this boy is pure_, she thought. "Ju-just get dressed-with these." Paigee opened the door slightly, just enough to fit her hand holding a bunch of clothes alien to the One Piece world's clothing style . Paigee's hand was getting slightly tired when the clothes she was holding was still untouched; she could guess that Luffy was hesitating. "JUST GRAB IT ALREADY!" she scolded him. She instantly heard several thumps outside the slightly creaked door before the clothes were finally taken from her hand, which was followed by rushing footsteps.

Paigee's mouth gaped. The kitchen was a mess. There were eggs splattered in the sink, spilled milk dripping from the table, and a shattered plate; followed by another shattered plate."Can you please not destroy my house?" Paigee asked with shut eyes and a hand on her forehead, holding the sides of it. She opened her eyes when she saw a plate filled with semi-burnt eggs and bacon, she looked up. "I wanted to thank you for letting me stay here!" Luffy cheerfully said and he scratched his head, "I'm sorry for breaking your plates." Paigee sighed, "Don't forget the spilled milk and splattered eggs." Luffy ended up sheepishly smiling.

The two were riding a bike to school together. It was like the first day of spring. Paigee didn't notice Luffy dressed up in her school uniform, his' was for boys of course. Paigee was cycling and Luffy was seated behind her, his back facing hers. She pedaled by the road next to the park filled with Cherry Blossom trees. The sight was beautiful; the pink petals falling to the ground created a soft and cheerful atmosphere. "Why are you seated this way, Luffy?" Paigee suddenly asked, intrigued by his position; she knew the fact that he's quite silly, but she couldn't help asking. She felt that the answer was different. "The flowers are beautiful, aren't they Paigee?" Luffy said, seemingly ignoring Paigee's question. Paigee pouted which Luffy noticed. Luffy whispered something that can be barely heard, but it seemed like Paigee heard it as she smiled sincerely and turned her head to face Luffy, who was also smiling. For Paigee, it was the first day of spring indeed.

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**This is just the beginning. *rubs hands together* Well aren't they advancing quite fast? Even though I myself don't have an interest in ROMANCE I sure can write them~ I CAN, but I didn't say I was good! :P Sadly, I don't think I won the competition, *sigh* I was up against my fellow year levels and sophomores Saaad.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Back. Just finished the exams… May the grades be ever in my favor~! Enjoy~ (SORRY..)**

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Chapter 5

It was a nice shady day. The Cherry blossoms were blooming, birds tweeting and class starting. "PAIGEE! SLOW DOOOWN!" The straw hat boy was shaking the girl's shoulders while she was pedaling. "SHUUUUT UUUUUP!" The said girl just yelled at the boy who just yelled back. By now, the two are yelling at each other while the girl was pedaling furiously. If leaving burning tracks was possible, then the road should have been on fire by now. A small rectangular figure can be seen up ahead in the two's sight. Paigee's burning eyes were finally extinguished and they returned to its teal color. Her short brown hair was blown back by the wind as she rose a little from her seat and sparkles surrounded her. _My school! Classes haven't started yet!_ Luffy, who didn't understand why and what she was doing also rose from his seat and faced Paigee's back. Luffy stood with his feet on the seat and placed his hand horizontally above his eyebrows as an effort in finding out what Paigee was so happy about.

Luffy tapped Paigee's shoulder to which Paigee responded by turning around. The two of them were a few inches apart and Paigee wasn't really happy about that. She preferred him sitting behind her with his back facing hers. It might be an imagination of Paigee's, but Luffy blotted and replaced the sun shining down her. Luffy had rays emitting from him in all directions. _You really should stop, that's actually quite silly. _Paigee snapped out of the trance and realized something. Her eyes widened. "Who's driving the bike?" *crash*

"We were on a downhill! " A pillow was thrown from the right side. "Why did you even posed like that?!" Another pillow was thrown from the left side. "Why did you even stood up on the seat?!" The same pillow was thrown from the right again, but the throw was stronger. "Why weren't you looking where we're headed to..?" The throw from the left was now weaker. "Why did you even face me?!" The impact was getting stronger. "I-I was just c-curious…" The left side became totally silent. The nurse watching just sweat dropped, _How can they even yell at each other after falling from a downhill slope? _

The two patients nervously sat next to the Nurse's desk while the nurse herself was scolding the two. "Do you even know how dangerous that was? You two could've been hit by a truck! A lot more worse situations could've occurred because of your recklessness, both of you!" The nurse's voice could be heard 20 meters away from the infirmary. "-so be a lot more careful next time. You two may leave now." The nurse calmed down and waved them a goodbye in a gentle manner. Paigee and Luffy's shaking were visible as they advanced away from the infirmary.

"Phew, that woman sure is scary." Luffy suddenly spoke up. "Yeah, let's get to class now." Paigee hurried along the corridors while dragging Luffy by the hand. "Paigee?" Paigee turned her face to face Luffy. "What?" she asked. "What's a class?" Luffy replied with another question. Paigee thought about it whether she should tell him the positive or negative things about class. "Uh well, you'll see." She reassuringly smiled at him and continued running through the corridors. The first period has already ended and the second period should be starting by now. Paigee narrowed her eyes and she can finally see her classroom door. At that instant, Paigee slowly opened the door and crept inside alongside Luffy. "Don't bother." The teacher calmly spoke while facing the blackboard. Paigee sighed in defeat and rose from her ducking position while still holding Luffy's hand. The teacher turned around and was slightly shocked at the sight; he ended up sighing. "Who's the young man?" Before Paigee could even reply, a student suddenly spoke up, "They're holding hands!" The whole class had an uproar; some were wooing there, some were sighing in defeat, some were pointing pencils at themselves, some were gossiping, and some were even pleased at the sight. Paigee just blushed a deep red color and instantly let go of Luffy's hand. Luffy just laughed, not knowing what it was about.

"Silence!" The instructor yelled angrily and there was silence. "Since you came late, both of you are to write 200 'I am ashamed of being late and I will come early next time,' on a whole paper. You, the boy wearing a straw hat, what are you doing in my class?" Luffy inspected the instructor until replying, "My name's Monkey D. Luffy and I'll be-" Paigee instantly placed a hand on his mouth. "What he means to say is that he's going to be in this class from now on. He's a transfer student and I found him wandering the corridors, probably because he's new here and I wanted to help him." The instructor just grunted and Luffy was still struggling to talk and complain to Paigee, but she just sent him a death glare before he finally stopped. "You may sit in front of Ms. Terran." Luffy walked to the empty seat and sat down, excited and enthusiastic as to know what they will do next. "_Your last name is Terran? Cool!" _Luffy whispered to Paigee who was behind him. The instructor glared at him, "I'll be keeping an eye on you." Luffy just grinned, "If you can." He replied.

"Paigee…" Luffy mumbled while his hand was stretched to me. "I thought 'class' was going to be exciting. This isn't exciting at all." _I know. _Paigee sympathized with Luffy, but he has to bear with this a bit more longer."

-School bell ringing- Luffy instantly rose from his seemingly dying figure and turned to face me. "What's that bell about?! I don't know why, but I feel happy that it rang!" Luffy seemed to be getting back to his old self again. "It rang because it tells us students that it's lunch time." Paigee explained as she was reaching for hers and Luffy's packed lunch. "EH?!" Luffy was shocked and full of gay. He almost pranced in his seat while the others just stared at him. "Let's eat lunch outside. I don't want to eat in this crammed place." Luffy grabbed my wrist and dragged me out just as I dragged him earlier this morning. "Ah, wait." I was trying to regain my footing when suddenly a boy tugged my sleeve. "Excuse me," he had slightly pink blushing cheeks as he faced us. "Are you two going out?" _Ah it's one of those guys who has a crush on me again. *sigh* They never stop, do they?_ "Actually, n-" I was about to reply when Luffy butted in, "We are. Why?"

"Eh?" _EHHHHHHH?! We-we're going out?!_ "Oh. I see." The boy retreated to his seat, quite disappointed. Luffy continued to drag me out while I was still in shock. "What do you mean we're going out?! We aren't! We aren't!" I kept shrieking while he was holding my hand, only to make it worse. "We're not going out I tell you!" Everyone we passed just stared strangely at me, not that I actually care though.

Luffy finally stopped walking and he faced me. He had a straight and serious face while I had a red embarrassed face. "Paigee," he started.

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**Muahaha! I'm evil! Still, sorry for not updating for a very LONG time. Exams were finally over just today. *sigh* I hope I don't get bad marks, If I do, then goodbye fanfic ! Lol I'm not a 100% sure whether I'm kidding or not. Anyways, you guys haven't told me about your opinions whether you support the idea of me changing the story's name to "MEATing." It's highly appreciated if you do. I might upload the next chapter earlier than before. Christmas break is coming soon~ :D So I have time :3**

**P.S If you don't tell me your opinions on the Changing of title, then I'll just change it. Whether you like it or not! *huff* xD**


	6. Chapter 6

**Christmas is just around the corner~ :D aaaaaand I don't feel the excitement much. ._. Anyways, enjoy the new chapter~ It's getting longer and longer as each chapter goes by ^o^ Think of it as my Christmas gift. xD **

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Chapter 6

Luffy suddenly tilted his head and all the seriousness he once had instantly vanished; "We are, aren't we?" he asked. Paigee realized something as it hit her right in the head, _Don't tell me…_ "Do you even know what it meant?" she asked suspiciously. "Yeah! We just went out of that crammed room, right? So we were going out of the classroom." He simply grinned. "Was that suppose to be a joke?!" She almost lost her cool and partially yelled in annoyance. "Maybe?" He nervously forced his lips to whistle weakly as the growing aura surrounding Paigee grew thicker and deadlier.

Luffy rubbed his glowing red bump on his head as he ate his lunch sulking. The two had a nice view; a bright blue sky with perfectly shaped clouds. The sun was shining, but the two were lucky enough to have found a shade on the rooftop; there the two sat in silence, eating. Paigee was still pouting slightly as she ate. _Geez, he's quite clueless concerning this matter. _Curiosity crept inside Paigee and she stole a glance of Luffy. Luffy was seated on cross legs and is almost finished eating. Reality sank inside Paigee and she started to panic a little. _We-we're eating lunch together… w-whaaaat?! _Paigee's eyes darted around the area and were careful enough not to look at Luffy. She suddenlyrealized something. "Luffy," Luffy was slightly startled, still traumatized from the beating he recently had. A thick silence followed, "Are you okay?" she asked. Luffy froze a bit and placed his empty lunch box down. "W-well yeah, you don't have to worry about these injuries! I can handle them." Luffy said reassuringly. Paigee felt guilt strangle her, _Gah! Why did I ask about the injuries I myself gave him?!_ A drop of sweat rolled down her forehead. "I'm just wondering," Paigee started, "Do you miss your crew?" she asked. Luffy's eyes just widened slightly at the thought of his crew, his nakama. "I do." He whispered. "I miss them so much that I'd die trying to find them," Paigee was a bit worried and startled at his sudden exclaim. "But that won't do. I still have to be the Pirate King after all! They'll just get mad at me if I die!" he said, determined. Paigee smiled lightly at his outburst of being Pirate King, _That's why I like you. _"Besides," he continued, "I gained a new nakama to accompany me." He looked at Paigee who was a bit shocked at what he said.

Before Paigee could say anything about it, the school bell rang. "O-oh look, classes are beginning already. Le-let's go Luffy!" Paigee hid her blushing face while they walked together back to the 'crammed' room.

-After school-

As Luffy and Paigee walked together down the corridors, everyone stared strangely at them. Luffy paid them no attention, but Paigee was bothered and her gut was having a bad feeling. Their eyes stared at them so intense that it felt like her soul was being pierced. Her gut was never wrong, not even once. Paigee gripped her brief case and looked down the floor. "Let's get something to eat! I'm starving." Luffy raised his fist in the air energetically and noticed Paigee's unusual silence and felt worried. "Hey Paigee, are you okay?" This time Luffy was the one who asked her well-being. Paigee forgot that Luffy was there and he didn't want him to worry over such petty things. "Uh yeah, I just need to go to the comfort room. You can go home ahead of me. T-this might take long." She said with a hint of uncertainty in her voice. "Awww. I wanted to eat with you!" he complained to the girl. "S-sorry, let's go eat next time." Paigee was about to leave when Luffy yelled after her. "Wait, Paigee!" Paigee paid no attention and ran to the nearest comfort room.

Luffy sweat dropped while holding his arm in front of him trying to reach for Paigee, "b-but I don't know how to get back..." he scratched the back of his head; left all alone in the suddenly empty corridors. "Where did everyone go?" he questioned himself as he held his fist at the side of his forehead being supported by his other hand's forearm. A light bulb was lit inside Luffy's mind, "They also needed to go to the comfort room like Paigee!" he yelled out to himself.

The doors to the comfort room were slammed closed. There Paigee rested her back on the doors; she panted heavily as she slid down and went into a crouching position, holding her legs close to her chest. _It's happening again. It's happening again… Thi-this terrible feeling... _"Ah!" she yelled to herself. Paigee clenched her fists in her hair. Terrible memories passed through her mind as she sat in there, eerily quiet. She calmed herself by breathing in and out slowly. When she was finally able to calm down herself, the worst scenario she could think of happened.

It was already getting dark and the doors to the comfort room kept banging loudly. Paigee kept silent as she tried her best to keep the doors closed. The force outside the comfort room was getting stronger and stronger. Eventually, Paigee couldn't keep up and the doors burst open. There Paigee realized what will happen next. Outside the comfort room doors stood a bunch of girls Paigee's age. _These people… _an image flashed through her mind. The image kept going back and forward through her vision. The image consisted of all the girls right in front of her except, they were younger, but they all had the same scowls on their faces. Paigee gulped.

Luffy wandered without a clue through the dark corridors. He looked like he hasn't eaten for months and he swayed weakly as he walked. Suddenly, he spotted light. It was light coming out of a room. He could hear loud thumps and voices. Luffy slowly and carefully walked to the source of light. He peeked a little bit of what was happening out of pure curiosity. His eyes widened.

"There you go again, looking for a partner. You are aware we don't like it when you do that, don't you?" a blonde girl asked Paigee as she sat on the corner, she had her head bowed down. Paigee remained silent. One of the girls got ticked off and went straight for Paigee. She grabbed her by the shirt's collar and raised her an inch from the ground. "Haven't you learned enough?! We made a deal! Get away from any boys or get a beating!" The girl raised her fist and aimed for Paigee's face, but before she could take action, she suddenly froze. As she looked at Paigee's eyes, it gleamed with danger. Her teal orbs got sharper before. "Oi!" yelled a masculine voice.

"What do you think you're doing with Paigee?!" Luffy yelled filled with anger. Paigee's eyes returned back to normal and landed on Luffy's figure. "L-luffy?" she called out. The girl dropped Paigee and looked at Luffy dangerously. "What do you think you're doing here, lover boy?" Luffy blinked a few times and pointed a finger to himself. "Me?" The girls sweat dropped, "O-of course it's you! Who else?!" yelled the blonde. "I'm not a lover boy. Aside from that, you're hurting Paigee!" he exclaimed with furrowed eyebrows. "Ha! Like a boy could even hit a girl." The girls smirked confidently and arrogantly at the straw hat boy. All the girl's eyes widened as Luffy just vanished into thin air. "I don't need to hit you." A voice came from behind them. Luffy held Paigee behind his back and once again vanished before the girls could even speak. "Wha-what is going on here?! Where's the newbie?!" Luffy appeared to where he was before he saved Paigee. "Even if you are girls, as long as you hurt my nakama, I won't forgive you!" Luffy said in a serious tone. Paigee blinked and realized that Luffy was already carrying her. Suddenly, Luffy looked at them with a plain face and said, "See ya!" He ran as fast as he could.

"You can stop running now." Paigee tugged Luffy's shirt. "O-oh, yeah." He stopped. "and you can let me down now." Paigee added. "Ah sorry." He mumbled as he let Paigee gently down. "Oi! Why didn't you tell me?!" Luffy suddenly burst out. Paigee sweat dropped and tried to think of a quick excuse. "Ah w-well…" she stammered a bit and nervously bit her lip. Luffy sighed and turned around, his back facing Paigee. "You could've beaten them easily, you know." He suddenly said. Paigee just slightly tilted her head and asked, "What do you mean? I couldn't even throw a punch!" Luffy simply replied, "You can. You just didn't want to, did you?" Paigee tensed up a bit as if Luffy just found out something. There was silence between them before Paigee broke it. "Actually, you're wrong." She said. Luffy's eyes went comically wide and turned around to face Paigee as quick as he could. "What do you mean?! I even got all cool from what I said and you tell me I'm wrong!" Luffy protested. This time, Paigee's back was facing Luffy, "I can hit them, that's true. I want to hit them square on the face, that's where you're wrong; but I think it's a waste of time." She coolly said.

Paigee started walking to her bicycle while Luffy kept up with her pace behind her. Luffy was still complaining about how Paigee ruined his cool scene and Paigee just giggled quietly to herself. "Ah that reminds me. Why were you still there? I thought I told you to go home already." Paigee looked at him questioningly. Luffy paused for a moment to think, then said, "I didn't know how to get back." He scratched the back of his head sheepishly. Paigee just sighed at his answer and continued walking. They were under the round white moon as they rode Paigee's bicycle. "Hey Luffy?" Paigee mumbled. "Hm?" Luffy hummed. "Let's go eat outside." Paigee faced Luffy and looked at him with a sincere smile on her face. "Really?! Yahoo!" Luffy yelled out loud. "_Yeah, Thanks, Luffy." _Paigee whispered to herself. "Hmm? Did you say something Paigee?" Luffy asked suspiciously. "I said you should keep quiet." Paigee said, resulting into Luffy pouting.

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**I honestly didn't like writing the part when someone bullies Paigee :/ I just found the 'bullying' kinda cheesy (perhaps cliche?). Also, I'm thinking whether I should make a 'Christmas special' chapter or not. It would be kinda weird if it became winter suddenly when I just said in Chapter 4(/5?) about the blooming cherry blossoms "._. Any suggestions? "Happy Christmas and Merry New year!" says my classmate because Merry Christmas and Happy New year is just too mainstream this month. lol xD**


	7. Chapter 7

**Yes I updated early. :3 Merry Christmas! I'll try to approach Christmas in this story as well. ^-^ Bad news: This story might last only for at least 30 chapters. :( I'll try my best to prolong the story, but that's my estimation. Enjoy~**

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Chapter 7

(Paigee)

I kept my files orderly in my suit case-like bag as the bell rang. It was lunch time. I sighed as I turned my head to find a sleeping Luffy sitting in front of me. "Psst. Luffy." He just grumbled at my failed attempt to wake him up gently. "Luffy..!" I whispered a little louder this time. Classes were still going on; the teacher was wrapping everything up by giving us another mountain of homework, is this even considered legal anymore? Luffy didn't flinch though.

(Normal)

A vein popped on Paigee's forehead after failing a dozen attempts in waking the pirate-student up. Classes just finished and Paigee quickly took this as a chance to wake up a certain someone a _bit _louder and rougher. An ominous aura grew around Paigee and the atmosphere felt a bit tense and thicker than before as she approached the sleeping Luffy. A slight whoosh of air blew Luffy's black hair with Paigee's fist a centimeter away from a strand of hair sticking out of Luffy's head. An even better idea entered Paigee's head. It was already lunch break so food is allowed, specifically meat. Paigee's mouth curled into a partial smile as she held a whole steak just above Luffy's peaceful face which soon started twitching. His nose started sniffing and his eyes snapped open which Paigee reacted to by her body suddenly tensing up.

About fifteen minutes later, a girl munching on a steak hastily was being chased by a straw hat boy. Paigee was going to take the last bite when Luffy suddenly jumped at her. The meat was inches away from her mouth when Luffy's mouth reached the meat in a quick and rapid motion. Paigee wasn't really bothered by the steak being stolen from her, she ate most of it anyways, but she was troubled by what Luffy just did. Luffy of course, didn't really mind. "I'm hungry, Paigee. Where's my bento~?" Luffy was frantically jumping up and down, hungry and unsettled. Paigee was still in shock as she stared at a distance for a minute before Luffy got impatient and started waving his hand in front of Paigee's vision. "Hey Paigee! Paigee! I'm hungry…" he groaned as he waved his hand faster and faster until Paigee snapped out of it and was brought back to her senses. "Ah. Please wait for a moment." She nervously took out their bento only to find out there was only one.

Paigee was sweating uncontrollably when Luffy placed a hand on her shoulder, "So, where's my lunch?" he cheerfully asked, excited to finally eat after hours of craving. Before Paigee could even explain, both their stomachs rumbled. The couple's eyes widened at the synchronization of the tummy's rumbling and its precise timing. "Uhm Luffy," she started a little uncertain. "Just tell me!" Luffy was getting impatient as he puffed his cheeks and crossed his arms. _Cute. _"There's only one bento." She said quite frankly. "Ehhh?!" Luffy screeched. "I'm gonna starve!" he continued yelling out. Paigee's guilt was replaced by a slight annoyance, so she ended up sighing. "Luffy, here." She held out the bento in front of him, causing him to freeze in his tracks and his arms that were hysterically waving in the air a moment ago. "I can't accept this. If you won't eat, then I won't eat either. It's just unfair!" Luffy folded his arms, determination in his eyes, but he bit his lip. "Woah. You are going to fast? That's impossible! You'll never survive!" Paigee declared with her face all serious. Luffy was about to protest when his gut yet again betrayed him and rumbled louder. He stared at his flat stomach and sweat dropped more. Paigee thought of an idea, but she was reluctant into doing it. She didn't really have a choice so she took a deep breath and called Luffy's attention who was slowly 'dying' of hunger.

Paigee had to drag Luffy all the way to the rooftop of the school building just to put her plan into action. They decided and agreed to share the bento, but the problem was, they only had a single pair of chopsticks. Even Luffy was slightly bothered by this, he never shared his food before and never intended to, but he didn't really have the right to keep the meal all to himself, he didn't cook it after all. "Here goes," Paigee breathed out and took hold of the chopsticks while Luffy was seated next to her, eyeing the chopsticks and food as if he could make a clone of those by simply glaring at them. "Itadakimasu!" They both yelled out. Paigee grabbed a croquette and hastily ate it, then grabbed a piece of meat and held it in front of Luffy, her hand shaking a little. Luffy instantly bit the meat and swallowed it the second it entered his mouth. Now, Paigee was hesitant to use her chopsticks which Luffy just ate with. She sighed and swallowed all the shame and uncertainty she was feeling and left plain hungriness.

The bento laid there, empty. Thanks to a certain young man who eats as fast as time flies by, it was quicker than they've expected. "This will never happen again." Paigee exclaimed to herself and to Luffy. Luffy just gave a chaste nod and lied on the dry hard tiled ground staring at the sky. Something tells Paigee that Luffy was in deep thought, but she decided not to meddle in his thoughts. It's already been a few weeks ever since Luffy appeared. Honestly, Paigee was happier with him being here. She wasn't as lonely as before, even if he gets annoying sometimes. She sat there beside Luffy who was lying down and both of them gazed at the bright blue sky. She could pretty much guess that Luffy was thinking about his crew, again. It's not like it bothered her, when it actually did, but that can't be helped. He's the Captain after all. _He must be tired… of thinking and worrying. That must feel horrible. _She thought to herself, but she actually never worried about someone; she was all alone after all. Paigee felt the cold breeze sweep her hair. She glanced at Luffy to see he has fallen asleep, but slightly trembling because of the sudden wind that passed them. Paigee reached out Luffy's head and stopped her hands before she could even touch his face. _No. You know you can't. He belongs in a different world. A crush will remain a crush, that's it, nothing else. _She scolded herself mentally as she kept her cold hands to herself. Suddenly, Luffy's form shifted and moved, surprising the young girl next to him. Luffy's brows furrowed and his hands searched for warmth until it landed on Paigee's lap. Paigee, of course, was embarrassed by the boy's sudden grip. Nobody ever touched her like that, nobody. She relaxed a bit when he removed his hand, but replaced it with his head. Paigee's eyes just widened.

She held her hand on her face, covering her mouth as her cheeks became hotter. Luffy was sleeping on her lap peacefully. She could feel a sudden warm and fuzzy feeling inside her. Paigee averted her gaze at her right to see the bare and thin trees. That was strange; she mentally took note of the odd phenomenon and pushed it at the back of her mind for the meantime. Paigee was simply observing her surroundings, even if her pale face was tainted by a slight pink shade and Luffy's face was calm and relaxed, quite comfortable in his position. Paigee was leading a small mental battle before deciding to touch Luffy's hair. It was soft, she commented. She removed her hand, which suddenly became cold and she once again stared in the endless sky.

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**Winter is already knocking in their doorstep! x3 More romantic scenes to work with~ Muahaha :D Surprisingly, I could write a lot of romance scenes on the whim. I promise you that I, that goes by the name of Cassius Valens, will make you people all flustered from reading. I will and shall! :D If I get inspired enough, lol. Hopefully, I won't run out of ideas. My next chapter upload? Probably a few days from now ;D Merry Merry Christmas guys! xD**


	8. Chapter 8

**2 days left! Woooo~ In my country anyways. I think the Special Christmas Chapter will be chapter 10... I might update again tomorrow. :P I'm so kiiiiind~ *sarcasm*If I do that, then Chapter 10 will be uploaded on exactly December 25! or December 24 in some places. =3= Anyways, enjoy!**

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Chapter 8

The television was on one late night. The room was purely dim with having the TV to light up a small portion of the area, including the sofa. A sleeping form tossed and turned on the red velvet sofa, it was Luffy. He was sweating a bit too much as he gripped the sofa's arm. Luffy bit his lip, his grip getting stronger and stronger that he could actually rip the sofa's sensitive skin. He buried his face in the sofa. He was having a nightmare.

_Luffy's eyes opened revealing his black orbs gleaming with determination and craving for adventure. He looked around to see the sea. He suddenly realized he was seated on a hard yellow surface. Luffy slowly took a peek at what that surface could be, "Sunny Go?! Eeeh?" He looked at it with shock and surprise plastered on his face. He turned his head to all directions to hastily investigate and figure out what's happening. He's finally back to his world, isn't he? Luffy climbed off Sunny Go, patting it before leaving to look for his crew. _

_Using his devil fruit powers, he climbed down Sunny Go's head and onto the deck. At first, the place looked abandoned, but Luffy could hear something from the dining room. "Oh! Oh! Sanji must be cooking for them! Don't forget me Sanji!" He yelled out and scrambled his way to the dining room. He kicked open the doors and searched for everyone. He was excited to finally see his beloved crew again, "I missed you guys!" He remembered all the mishaps Chopper, Usopp and he did and ending up being scolded by Sanji or Nami while Robin would just smile at them. Brooke would either be twirling around and falling to the wall like a still stick or playing his violin. Franky would be posing in the background and Zoro should be asleep. Luffy grinned at the memories as he entered the room. They were here alright, but something was off. The atmosphere… was gloomy. Instead of a smile, they all wore a frown or a straight line._

_Nami rose from her seat, slamming her hands on the table while saying something out loud, but Luffy couldn't hear anything. Zoro just sat there, his arms crossed with his eyes narrowed, avoiding anyone's gaze. Sanji lit his cigarette and breathed a little deeper than usual. Chopper was just seated innocently on his seat, tears forming in the side of his eyes. Luffy was getting more worried; he didn't like this one bit. Usopp also had his arms folded; he was staring at the ground with watery eyes as well. Brooke just stood there, with not much emotion on his bony face. Shadows were covering Robin's eyes as she sat there quietly. Franky also kept his gaze on the ground which everyone was starting to find interesting. What was exactly happening? Luffy couldn't take it any longer as he suddenly yelled out, "Guys! It's me! I'm back! Hey!" He was getting desperate. Nobody flinched as if nothing happened. They were opening their mouths, but he couldn't hear a thing. Luffy ran over to them and started waving his hands in front of them, failing with everyone. Suddenly, he heard Nami. Nami yelled out,_

"_He's dead! Okay?"_

_Luffy's eyes widened at what he just heard. Nami continued pain obvious on her face. "Luffy should be dead by now! He has a devil fruit, so he can't swim! We're in the middle of the sea and it's obvious he should've sunk by now. It's almost a week! We can't even do anything about it…" her loud voice slowly became a whisper with her sinking down her seat. Sanji decided to stand up and walked over to Nami to pat her back and comfort her. Everyone kept silent though. A certain green haired first mate spoke up, "It's true. He should probably be dead by now." He bluntly said, resulting into others tensing up a bit. "But he's our captain. He should and is fine right now, try placing trust on him a little. He's Luffy after all, he can do the impossible. He's our captain, so it's useless to worry." Zoro becomes wise once in a blue moon, but what he said made others relax a tiny bit. Surprisingly, Zoro, the first mate, is very loyal. He trusts his captain a lot more than others, even when it comes to the impossible. _

_A smile found its way to Luffy's features as he listened to his first mate. Before Luffy could leave the room, deciding he's heard enough, someone spoke up, "Besides, he probably found another creature or person to recruit!" It was Usopp who said that, sporting a grin. "Yeah, he's probably starving right now. I need to prepare a banquet when he returns." Sanji reassured everyone. "He might be injured and tired right now! I should make sure there are enough bandages and medicines in the infirmary!" Chopper hopped down his chair and ran outside the room. Luffy reached out and patted Chopper's head when he passed by, causing Chopper to turn his head and questioningly look around. "He'll get furious if I leave the Sunny Go untaken care of." Franky grinned. "Luffy-san will get disappointed of me if I stopped playing music. I'm the musician after all! I could already see his grin, even if I don't have any eyes! Yohohoho!" he laughed and brought out his violin. Nami just sniffed and looked at everyone, trying their best to cover up the sadness. "Fools." She mumbled with a smile. Luffy looked at his crew, they were strong alright. He's quite proud of them._

"Luffy?" a voice brought Luffy out of his dream. His eyes met Paigee's and they stared at each other for a few seconds, an inch apart. Paigee's hair was slightly ruffled; obviously she just got out of bed. Realization dawned upon Paigee as she blinked and suddenly averted her gaze to the side. Luffy's frown turned upside down and he grinned, revealing his white teeth. He got up and hugged Paigee. Paigee was shocked and thrashed her arms at the side. "Lu-Luffy! Wha-what's the matter?!" she yelled out nervously. Luffy released his embrace and looked at Paigee. "I just dreamt about my nakama." He smiled. Paigee's eyes just widened a bit before she sighed. She stood up and ruffled Luffy's hair before leaving. "Good for you. Now go get a good night sleep. You're gonna need it." she said with her back facing Luffy. Luffy was a little confused at her sudden actions, but he just tilted his head and grinned, "Yeah!"

The night was beautiful. The stars were twinkling and visible in the clear and dark sky. Paigee couldn't get back to sleep. Her mind was bustling with thoughts and worries. She didn't want to be alone again. Although she can't be selfish and keep Luffy to herself, he wasn't hers in the beginning, yet she feels a little possessive over him. _Why…?_ She lightly slapped herself and tossed once again to try and get some sleep. Apparently her simple request wasn't fulfilled as she continued rolling on her bed. She sighed and placed her forearm on her face, covering her eyes. "Why is life so cruel…?" she whispered to herself before attempting to fall asleep, failing once again.

Light pierced through Paigee's eyelids as she opened them ever so slowly. There was barely any light. That was odd, she thought. She sat up on her bed and rubbed her eyes. _Is it really morning already? _She pushed the soft silk curtains out of the way to see the outside world. Her mouth slightly gaped at the sight. Before she could even speak, the door to her bedroom slammed open, causing her to quickly turn her head to the opened door. "Paigee! It's snowing!" The boy in pajamas wearing a straw hat happily exclaimed.

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**Snow! Snow! Snow! No snow in my country! T^T I envy others. =( Sorry, since this chapter is mostly about Luffy's dream, but hey I'm going to update again tomorrow :P I'm uploading this chapter even if it's already dinner, food just had to wait. T-T So yeah, I'm quite hungry now... Happy Holidays once again! *stomach grumbles* okay okay...**


	9. Chapter 9

**I made this chapter in a rush, so I could work on the next one. It's almost Christmaaaas here~ Just mere hours away :3 In my country xD So yeah I made this quite romantic (don't expect too much, okay?) to satisfy you guys, Enjoooy~ *raises a comical thumbs up***

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Chapter 9

Paigee blinked for a moment at the sight. She narrowed her eyes slightly and pointed a finger at Luffy who wore a growing nervous smile. "I told you…" she said in almost a whisper, but loud enough for Luffy to hear. A droplet of sweat trickled down Luffy's forehead, slowly travelling until it fell to the ground; making a very soft sound. The moment the droplet made contact with the carpet, a pillow was thrown violently at Luffy's face. "KNOCK BEFORE YOU ENTER!" Paigee screamed with venom in each word. Luffy rolled out of the room and hit the wall; the sweat drops were still visible, forming every second. The door slammed loudly as a muffled voice could be heard, "S-sorry." The boy managed to mumble a word despite his condition.

Paigee tightened her light brown belt, the same color as her hair reaching her chest. A cream colored scarf was wrapped around her neck as she secured her brown boots. Paigee was wearing a yellow shirt paired with white jeans. She tapped her heel before leaving her bedroom, closing the door with a slight creaking sound. Her footsteps created a solid sound as it echoed through the hallway. "Luffy?" but there was no reply. Paigee took a peek at the living room, but no sight of the straw hat boy. Her best bet was the kitchen and dining room, he has to be there. If not, then he's most likely not inside the house. "Luffy?" she called out again; he wasn't in the kitchen or the dining room. Paigee entered the dining room and saw everything was neat; resulting into her mouth gaping. She was obviously shocked. For the first time ever since Luffy came, the dining room was neat without a smudge of food anywhere. _Impossible!_ She started to panic a little as she searched for the boy. "Luffy?" "Luffy?!" she kept on yelling out countless times and still no reply could be heard. The last place where she didn't look was outside the door. She turned her head to the door and narrowed her eyes; slowly, she approached the said door. By the door, there was a window; Paigee's eyes widened. Outside the window, she could see a straw hat! Instantly, Paigee grabbed the doorknob and dashed outside. "Luffy!" she yelled out, relief inside of her.

Paigee almost pounced at Luffy when she saw the hat. To her surprise, she somehow smashed the boy's body, as she landed on the snow. Paigee sat up confused, "Eh? Snow?" and saw it was a snowman wearing Luffy's hat. A tight line graced the girl's features as shadows covered her eyes. To make it worse, Paigee was suddenly attacked by several snowballs. "Gomu Gomu no Gatling Gun!" a voice yelled, that voice; Paigee's eyes narrowed before she was covered in snow.

"Yosh! That's what you get for throwing snowballs at me, kid!" Luffy yelled with his arms held up, his fists curled high in the air. The triumph of winning in the snowball fight soon evaporated as Luffy spotted light brown hair in the snow. Sweat drops formed on his face as the figure slowly rose from the pile of snow. "Uh-uhm," he stuttered. "P-Paigee…?" he called out in a low and barely hearable voice. Luffy flinched in fear as he saw the snow at the top of Paigee's head evaporate. "Luffy…" Paigee whispered in a dark tone; Luffy tensed up, "Ha-hai…?" The thick and dense atmosphere suddenly loosened up as a deep sigh was heard; it was Paigee. She gently patted of the snow off of her clothes as she shivered slightly. Her nose twitched a bit and its color changed into a light shade of red. Paigee rubbed her nose and looked at Luffy. "Don't you feel cold?" she asked; since she was honestly freezing. As if on cue, a shiver ran through Luffy's spine. "You could say a little?" he said hiding his coldness through his wide grin. A moment of silence came between the two before the girl stepped forward Luffy. Luffy just tilted his head questioningly before a source of warmth wrapped itself on his neck. He was a bit taken aback and surprised, but then realized it was Paigee's scarf. Paigee ruffled his hair before leaving him there, in the white blankets of snow; gazing at her back. A single snowball ruined this brief silence though.

The frozen ball flew through the air and hit the light brown haired girl. Paigee paused for a moment, eerily still just by the doorstep. She turned her head swiftly to Luffy, "Was that you?" she asked in a low voice. Her face was calm, too calm that Luffy actually prefers her raged façade. "N-no." he said, still crept out. "Ha! You think you got us? Your snowman plan sucks, new kid!" a child with ruffled dirty blonde hair came out of a snow-covered bush holding another snowball. "Oi! It's you! Paigee! This is the kid who's been throwing snowballs at me!" Luffy pointed his finger directly at the kid who was yelling back. "Maybe it's because you're so weird, wearing a straw hat during winter!" the kid yelled back. "Speak for yourself! You're just wearing pajamas!" Luffy replied, wearing his own blue striped pajamas, both of them barefooted. Both boys stopped in their fight when they heard a low mumble.

The blonde kid suddenly became pale and his snowball started dripping from his raised hand. "Luffy," a voice spoke, almost unrecognizable. "Hm?" he turned around, flinching at the process as he could see a dark aura surrounding a girl who he knows as Paigee. "Get him!" she yelled out, back to her normal self, but determination burning in her eyes. Luffy grinned, "Yeah!" and faced the blonde kid. The blonde kid sweat dropped nervously at the sight and froze in his position. He managed to make his legs run when Luffy was a meter away from him, a huge snowball in his hands. The last thing that could be heard was a light 'kyaaaa!' echoing through the streets.

A girl was panting heavily as she grasped a street lamp for support. She was getting tired and cold. Her fingers moved slower than usual as she tried moving them. It seems that a thin sheet of ice wrapped itself around Paigee's hands, but she was too occupied to pay attention to this. Paigee turned her head to all directions, searching for something, someone to be exact. _Where is that straw hat…?_ A branch suddenly snapped and Paigee swiftly turned in that direction. As soon as she turned her head, a snowball made contact with her face. In a few seconds, the splattered snow turned to water and dripped on the white blankets of snow; making small holes on the snow. A chuckled could be heard from afar, "Shishishi! What's wrong Paigee? Low on fuel?" Once again the boy dashed and hid himself from the fuming girl. "LUFFY!" she yelled out, panting every now and then. Those two have been chasing each other literally all day after the poor blonde kid ran away from them. The sky's already dark and the street lamps were switched on. Paigee stopped running and stood there, panting and coughing at the same time. It seemed to get worse as she started kneeling and got into an almost crouching position. She held her hand on her chest and appeared to be hugging herself. Her coughs were loud and echoed through the dark.

From where Luffy was hiding, her coughs were loud and clear. _"Damn! Did she get too cold?" _He rose from behind a bush and ran towards Paigee, full of anxiety. "Paigee?!" he yelled out, trying to search for that familiar figure he cares about. Luffy raised his eyebrow, what did he just say? He quickly shrugged it and continued calling out to the girl as her distant coughs were still hearable. A wave of relief washed over Luffy as he spotted a crouching form. He could almost smile that he saw her, "Paigee!" His hands were open as if he was going to embrace the girl when suddenly Paigee rose; looking at him with a smirk on her features. "Gotcha."

She murmured before something cold plastered Luffy's face, losing his vision temporarily while hearing light chuckles. Luffy wiped his face with his sleeve, then blinking continuously while Paigee gripped her gut. "I c-can't stop laughing!" she exclaimed with beads of tears forming at the end of her eyes. Luffy was strangely quiet; Paigee did not fail to notice though. She stopped momentarily, still chuckling; she looked at Luffy who's eyes were covered in shadows. "Oi! I'm just kidding. Don't be so sour just because I was able to finally throw a snowball right on your face." A giggle managed to escape through Paigee's lips as she held a hand to cover her mouth, still trembling from laughter. "It's not funny." Luffy suddenly spoke up. Paigee's joy vanished as she saw Luffy's serious face. _Did I go too far…?_ "You coughing like that made me worried! That wasn't funny!" his voice had a hint of anxiety as he looked at Paigee. Paigee's eyes widened as it met with Luffy's serious and glassy eyes. "Look, I'm s-" Paigee took a step forward unsuccessfully and ended up slipping; holding onto Luffy for support, but dragging him along with her.

"Ouch." Paigee was going to rub her head when she realized she couldn't really move. Her eyes opened slowly and hesitantly. When her vision finally returned to her, she wished she never opened her eyes. There, Luffy was above her; a sweat drop forming on his forehead as he tried his best supporting himself, currently shocked about what happened. Paigee was below Luffy with wide eyes and was still as a rock. A drop of sweat fell on Paigee's nose as she blinked in realization.

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**C-L-I-F-F-H-A-N-G-E-R-S~ :D I love myself, oh wait... I don't =_= Aren't they romantic? haha. Hopefully, Luffy wasn't OOC. *gulp* So yeah, look forward for the next chapie~ It has romantic scenes like this, but I might upload it in the next 2 days? Yeah. I have a life too you know, CHRISTMAS! **


	10. Chapter 10

**Merry Christmas, guys! :D Honestly, starting Chapter 9; I already considered it as the Special Christmas 'chapter' only that it'll last until Chapter 11. Enjoy ;)**

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Chapter 10

"Huh?" That was the only word that came out of Paigee's lips. She blinked one more time as she continued to stare at the eyes directly gazing at hers. Suddenly, before Paigee could even speak, the street lamps lost their lights. The nearby lamp flickered each second; the glow getting weaker and weaker each blink. The last thing Luffy saw was Paigee's lips in motion, as if speaking, before the whole street was enveloped in darkness.

"L-Luffy?" Although Luffy currently cannot see, he knew it was Paigee; she was right below him after all. Reality slapped Luffy square on the face as his eyes widened and realized what position he was in. "Ah, Gomen gomen!" Luffy was about to sit up when his barefoot slipped on the icy floor. Paigee's breathing hitched as she felt a hot breath tickle her neck; what now?! "My foot slipped." Paigee pressed her back on the cold floor as she realized Luffy was closer than before; his voice became louder and clearer.

Paigee couldn't help but sigh, thanking the sudden black out for the blush on her cheeks are not visible. "Luffy," she said in a whisper. "What?" he plainly asked; Paigee still couldn't get over how close they were. "I'm going to roll to the side and you can fall to the ground when I say it's okay, alright? There's pretty much no other way." She could make out a 'hm' and considered it as an 'okay.' Paigee was about to roll any second now, before blinding lights showered them. Both of them shut their eyelids tightly, then blinking every now and then. Their eyes met once again; only that their noses are a measly centimeter apart, almost touching. A nerve of Paigee's finally snapped and her pale face instantaneously became a dark hue of red. "Kyaaaaaa!" she screamed, breaking the still night.

"I still don't get why I have to be smacked." Luffy sat cross legged and drew circles on the white snow, a pout on his face. Paigee's face still had a light shade of pink as she pouted as well, "S-sorry." She stared down the icy floor while hugging her knees close to her chest. Luffy was about to talk to Paigee when he was interrupted by a loud grumble of their stomachs. Luffy just grinned and a chuckle could be heard coming from his mouth. "We should go eat; we've missed 3 meals already!" Paigee smiled. "I missed 5 meals! No wonder I feel so thin." He patted his very flat stomach and making sure Paigee could see it, resulting into her just giggling. She then remembered the condition of her stiff and frozen hands. It might be a case of frostbite, so she quickly held it at eye level and inspected it. Luffy glanced at Paigee's unusual actions. "It's on the verge of getting frostbite." She blankly said. Paigee placed her frozen hands close to her chest as she tried hugging it. She failed to notice Luffy was walking closer to her and crouched right in front of her.

Paigee looked up and slowly processed in her mind what's currently happening. Luffy gently took hold of her hands; Paigee was still a bit shocked to protest. Paigee was about to protest when Luffy enclosed her hands in his hands and blew on it. Somehow, his cold breath warmed her frozen hands. A visible vapor was formed as Luffy continuously blew. "There!" he placed each of his arms on his sides and huffed. Luffy was already standing up as Paigee got out of the daze. "Oi Paigee! Come on, I'm hungry for breakfast, snack, lunch, snack and dinner!" he enthusiastically declared. Despite Paigee's efforts, she couldn't balance herself as she kept on slipping. Luffy got impatient and decided to see what's taking Paigee so long. When he saw the troubled girl, it was his turn to sigh. "…really." He shrugged with a smile on his face and held a hand in front of the girl. "Need any help?" he halfheartedly smirked. Once again, it didn't fail to cause a pink blush appearing on Paigee's face.

Smoke was coming out of the red brick chimney attached on the snowy roof of a white summer house. Inside, a girl and boy could be seen bickering over the dining table. It was only the two of them, yet the atmosphere was so light and cheerful. Once done with eating, the two raced to the living room; ending up with stomach aches. After some time, the two were seated comfortably on the red velvet sofa; blankets enveloping the two of them. They both held a cup of hot steaming chocolate with a marshmallow on top of the cream. Laughter and joy filled the room as the two watched several shows; not aware what time it was. It was getting late, a cup of chocolate, no longer hot; was untouched and lying on the glass table. Paigee sat nearby the fireplace, sleeping calmly; hugging her knees close to her chest. Next to her was Luffy, secretly sipping her cup of chocolate and almost finishing it. A soft sound interrupted him and Luffy thought it was Paigee who had awoken and caught him red handed. It was Paigee indeed, but instead of seeing an ominous aura; she was shivering slightly, still asleep. This made Luffy pause for a moment; he separated his lips from the cup and thought for a second. He was reluctant, but he did it anyway.

Luffy slowly crept closer and closer to Paigee and sat right next to her. Hopefully, Paigee would get enough warmth by him sitting next close to her as her trembling weakened. He sat there, staring blankly at the fire; reminding him of the huge bonfire he was dancing around with his crew back at Skypeia. How he misses his crew! He continued gazing at the dancing flames as memories flooded his mind. He felt a nudge on his shoulder and he turned to look what it was, it was Paigee. She was sleeping so soundly, her head tilted and landed on Luffy's shoulder. _Just this once, _He thought and silently permitted Paigee's sudden contact. His eyelids started becoming heavy as his vision was getting blurry. For now, he let down his guard; he drifted into sleep, enjoying the warmth of the flame in front of him and unexplainable warmth inside of him.

Paigee could feel a warm breath on her left cheek; she was sure that can't be hers. Other than that, she felt very comfortable; she felt warm and secure. Her mind became more conscious though; she could feel her cheek against something solid. She remained clueless as to what or where was she sleeping, so she decided to finally open her eyes. Ever so slowly, she opened her eyes. In front of her was the fireplace with ashes and burnt coal remaining inside. She then realized that her vision wasn't straight, the fireplace was a bit tilted. Paigee tilted her head and could no longer feel the hard and bony surface she was leaning on. She turned her head; her eyes widened. Her mind processed quite slowly and same goes to how reality sank inside her mind. She gulped, still wide eyed. Paigee took deep breaths to calm herself and her heart down; which was beating quite rapidly. She didn't want to wake up the boy; _he looks so peaceful, _she thought absentmindedly. She breathed a deep breath one more time which was interrupted by Luffy's eyes suddenly snapping open. Paigee stopped her breath and released it accidentally into a form of shriek.

Luffy held his dear throbbing ear close to himself. "Why did you scream?!" he yelled with comical teary eyes. "I-it's because you were too close!" Paigee defended herself. He rubbed his ear pouting and responded, "Then what about what happened last night ou-" "Never speak about that to anyone." Paigee coldly cut him off. "O-okay." Luffy sweatdropped.

On the red couch, Luffy was lazily watching television. Footsteps were heard on the staircase, it was Paigee's. "Luffy!" she called out. "Get dressed!" she threw a bunch of clothes on top of Luffy who was lying on his side, his arm supporting his weight. Black eyes peeked from the sofa and followed Paigee's mobile body. "What's this?" he asked. Paigee wrapped her scarf on her neck as she fixed her hair. "Those are clearly clothes, Luffy." She said plainly; focused more on her entangled hair. Luffy just gazed at Paigee questioningly and she didn't fail to notice. Paigee sighed, "We're going out!" she wore a cheeky grin.

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**Were you guys disappointed? lol. Sorry! xD Some of you must've been expecting a 'kiss', but not on my watch B| Not yet, be patient :P We're currently in the 10th Chapter only! Haha and no, I'm not intentionally teasing you guys, am I? xD Also, this will be the last of my _Speedy-Chapter-Uploads_sooooo, sad to say. Before any of you protest, let me tell you this; I haven't touched my homework and projects yet! :P Let me remind you, my top priority is my studies. See how much I 'care'? xD Haha well, I'm still sorry~ O:) I might update for who knows when... probably when I finish all my school work? Yeaah~**

P.S I've never wrote a chapter filled with romance until now. Honestly, I'm not a very big fan of writing too much romance scenes. I only like those cute and teasing ones =3= 


	11. Chapter 11 - Going out

**Yohohoho~ It's almost New Year, nee? This is the final "Christmas Special" chapter(s) :3 I was originally planning NOT to upload these remaining days of 2013 *sniff* but I remembered you guys :') Patiently and obediently waiting for my next chapter upload; reminding me of everyone supporting me when I read the reviews xD In short, more reviews = fast chapter uploads?! haha who knows~ Once again, Enjoy! ^-^**

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Chapter 11

Luffy's dark orbs stared at the clothes and looked at the girl wearing an expecting look. "Can't I just wear my old clothes?" he asked; looking a bit unsure of the clothes presented to him. He wasn't trying to be rude; he just really preferred his plain vest and denim shorts. That's what he usually wears and somehow it just felt right. "You'll look too out of place. It's freezing right now!" she halfheartedly glared at the straw hat boy. "Eeeeh? Then I'll just borrow your scarf!" he pointed at the cream colored scarf Paigee was currently wearing; the same one she lent him yesterday. With Paigee's looks, she didn't leave any space for arguments as she waited. Luffy sighed in defeat and started unbuttoning his vest with a pout on his face. This was not left unnoticed by the ever-so sensitive girl.

"Wh-what do you think you're doing?!" she pointed a finger at him with slightly flushed cheeks. Luffy looked at her with half-lidded eyes and tilted his head, "I'm dressing up; just as what you told me to." Question marks hang in the air beside Luffy's head. "F-fine, just wear this scarf." She stuttered ever so slightly and unwrap her beloved scarf from her neck which suddenly felt cold. Paigee has always been sensitive to the cold ever since she was a kid. That's why she dreads the coming of winter; she used to catch colds during that season and ends up stuck inside the house.

"Yahoo! Thanks, Paigee." His grin warmed Paigee temporarily as they left the house. Inside the taxi, Luffy's eyes were sparkling as he was awed by his surroundings. Tall buildings, fancy Christmas lightings, and Food stands everywhere; Paigee couldn't help but smile at the boy who almost drooled on the car's window. She wanted to at least hang out with the boy before he gets back; he's been missing his crew ever since and she didn't want him to always feel anxious. The taxi pulled over a busy street and the couple came out of the yellow car.

Paigee paid the driver and turned around to look at Luffy; he's already at an ice cream stand. _So fast! _She thought, and went to pay the ice cream vendor. Luffy was holding two cones and smiled at Paigee. "I see you're enjoying." she said as Luffy was licking his ice cream and lips. "Here." He handed his other ice cream to Paigee. "Ah, t-thanks." She took the cone reluctantly from Luffy's hands; why? It was already too cold for her! _What is wrong with this boy…? No, more importantly; what is wrong with that vendor?! Why would anyone sell something so cold during winter?! _She couldn't help but glare at the vendor and the vendor just winked at her; _what did that mean?_ she ate the ice cream bit by bit, sulking. The two strolled the busy streets; Paigee was still sulking. Luffy glanced at Paigee and looked at her in an intense way. "Paigee, there's some ice cream on your cheek." He pointed out.

Paigee wasn't paying attention when Luffy suddenly got closer to her face. The remaining space between them is an inch which Luffy soon closed. The cream on Paigee's face was licked away by Luffy himself. Paigee got into shock for a moment and suddenly got all flustered. "O-oi!" she literally screamed at Luffy who was just licking his lips from ice cream. "What?" he asked plainly; wondering what got her all worked up. Sure he hasn't done that to anyone, but what's wrong with that? He likes Ice cream and Paigee was wasting it, not fully licking away her leftover ice cream on her face. Honestly, Luffy didn't know why he even did that. What was wrong with him? But of course, the boy would never ponder on a matter too long; it'll make his head hurt anyway.

They continued walking; Paigee still uneasy and flustered by what the boy did. Whenever she tried picturing that moment in her mind, she would cringe and become much more embarrassed. It was even done in public! Whenever Paigee attempted to take a glimpse of Luffy, she would start blushing like crazy, even if he's picking his nose with a bored look. Soon enough, Paigee had gotten over it, not completely, but was more at ease being with Luffy. After all, nothing will happen if she continued being distant and embarrassed; so she has to overcome it sooner or later and why not now? At that moment, they were in a shopping district. Stores with clothes, clothes, and more clothes surrounded them and Paigee couldn't wait to start buying them! In all her excitement she noticed a certain someone's presence gone. Paigee turned her head to her sides and turned her whole body to all directions in an effort of finding a familiar straw hat, but to no avail it seemed he just vanished into thin air. "That boy…" Paigee silently cursed to herself and held a fist in the air which was trembling from annoyance. _Once I find him, he is going to pay, with his life! _People sweat dropped as they saw a girl with blazed eyes trudging her way through the crowd.

Shadows of the tall buildings grew taller than the buildings itself. The sky was a canvas splattered with orange paint as the sun sank; the day was nearing to its end. There a lone girl sat on a cold metal bench as she held her lowered head near her lap. A few seconds passed before her head was suddenly held high, but based on her expression, it was obvious her mood wasn't as high as how she held her head. Paigee's naturally wavy short hair stuck out like a magnet is attracting them. Paigee could feel the soreness of her whole body. That wouldn't be a surprise since she searched almost the whole city all afternoon! Her mood wasn't any better. _Seriously, where did that boy go now?! He's so troublesome! _Then Paigee realized something and whispered to herself, "but he's my trouble." She almost smiled, but the fact that that boy ruined her day stopped her in doing so; she resulted into wearing a stiff smile instead.

With her head hung low, Paigee walked through the crowd; she was losing hope. An idea popped into her head, _Ugh think! If I were Luffy, where would I go?! I've been to all the meat shops and he was not there. Same goes for the armor shop; he should enjoy wearing armor, right? Think! Think!_ Paigee's eyes widened in realization as it hit her. "That's it!" she said to herself out loud and started glancing at every store around her. _Don't think at all! _Paigee tried reenacting how Luffy would react to his surroundings. She tried to guess what would attract that boy by simply glancing around. Something caught her eye and it was something colorful; there was even a huge decorated Christmas tree with a shining lantern on the top. _A toy store, _she had a strong feeling he was there so she walked in the store.

A smirk found its way to Paigee's facial expression as she folded her arms in her chest. In the center of the store was a low platform with a white lacy rag covering it. A red throne with golden legs and arms stood on the platform; surrounded by presents in different sizes and wrappings. Each gift even had a colorful bow glistening in the light. The sight was quite normal since it was Christmas after all, a man dressed up as Santa should be seated on the throne while holding a child on his lap. The only thing off with the usual scene was there was a grown man sitting on Santa's lap; specifically, a man wearing a straw hat. Paigee wore a half-hearted frown as she marched up her way to the platform. Several kids were filed in a neat line with their parents as they impatiently waited for their turn. Paigee was supposed to be mad, but somehow her negative mood evaporated as soon as she spotted the boy. She actually felt a mixture of relief, laughter and a tiny bit of annoyance inside her.

Paigee stopped in her tracks as she heard Luffy murmur something. He was speaking with Santa Claus. She wore a confused look as she continued staring at Luffy and Santa Claus. Luffy was chuckling as he talked to Santa as if he was an old friend. Santa returned the happiness Luffy showed by giving him a merry laugh of his. At last, Luffy whispered into Santa's ear which should be his Christmas 'wish' and Santa just nodded and smiled before bidding the boy a farewell. Paigee shrugged it off as she does not wish to trouble herself anymore; that boy's sometimes outrageous, well actually all the time, so it's no surprise if he said something silly again. Luffy looked around and spotted Paigee. He gleefully waved his hand as he advanced towards the girl.

Luffy approached Paigee as he held his straw hat firmly on his head, "Hey Paigee! I've been to all sorts of stores today! There was this armory shop with lots of shining cool armor! I even tried on-" Luffy rhapsodized about his little adventure; not noticing the dangerous aura shrouding Paigee. "-I asked for a piece of meat from this guy, but he just shooed me away, so I decided to take them myself and started running like crazy!" he gestured his hands as he went on with his story, only stopping after sensing a dark feeling. "Oi Paigee, is somethi-" A loud slap echoed through the district. Paigee just slapped Luffy.

Luffy's widened eyes stared blankly at his side as his head was turned to his right when Paigee slapped him. His cheek appeared to be swollen as he slowly held his hand to touch it. Luffy carefully turned his head to face Paigee whose head was bowed down. _Is she mad? _He tried to move his mouth to form words, but no sound came out. Before he could motion his lips for another attempt, Paigee's head swiftly rose up and stared intently at the boy before her. It wasn't anger in her eyes, nor killing intent; it was worry. Her eyes were slightly dull yet watery. "I was worried that you'd disappear without even saying goodbye to me…" she mumbled to herself. "At least tell me! I don't mind if you have to go, it's not like you're obliged to stay with me, but at least bid me a farewell, then I wouldn't mind that much!" she clenched her fist tighter out of frustration when suddenly, she was yanked. Paigee felt instantly warm as strong arms held her close. The warm embrace was broken as Luffy suddenly gripped her shoulders with his two hands. He stared intently at her without breaking the gaze. "Paigee," he sighed, cutting the tension, "I'm sorry for running away like that, please don't take it seriously." He let go of her shoulders and clasped his hands behind his back while bowing his head low. Paigee sniffed a bit and placed her arms at her side, forming small triangles. "Don't bother. I know this won't be the last." She smiled at Luffy who was scratching the back of his head.

The dark night was lit up by the street lamps and food stands' lights. Under the clear evening sky, Luffy and Paigee sat comfortably on the fountain's side, eating takoyaki together. The silence was broken by Paigee, "Ah I forgot! I haven't given you your Christmas present yet." Paigee munched on her takoyaki as she stared at the distance trying to think of a plan. "I know!" she exclaimed, "You can keep that scarf Luffy!" Paigee sheepishly smiled at Luffy who just tilted his head. "Eh? This scarf?" he held the scarf with his free hand and let it slip off his rubber hand. "Can we both own it instead?" Luffy grinned at Paigee and she looked at him, stunned. She sighed and couldn't help smiling, "Alright." Luffy suddenly spoke up, "then that means I have to give you a gift also?!" he asked worriedly, Paigee just sweat dropped at the boy's small theory and explained to him, "Ah no, no. Not necessarily." She waved her hand in the air. Luffy was actually in deep thought rather than listening to Paigee's reply and he suddenly brightened up.

Luffy held his dear straw hat and removed it from his head; allowing the night breeze to sweep his black hair. He quickly placed it on Paigee's bare head. She reacted by blinking repeatedly. "Wh-what's this?" she asked confused a bit. "You can wear my hat just for today." He grinned, "It's my treasure after all! I want to at least share it to you." He chuckled a bit; not noticing Paigee suddenly blushing a light hue of red. "Hey Paigee," Luffy started, "You know what? This world is awesome! Sugee!" He even held a thumbs up which Paigee sweat dropped upon. Due to the fountain's spurts of water, Luffy clumsily slipped his hand and tipped, falling in the water. "Gaah!" he yelled out. Paigee panicked and dived after him. It was already chilly that night and taking a dip in the water made it freezing.

There Paigee laid Luffy on the dry cemented side of the fountain. She quickly went out of the water and went to Luffy's aid. Despite the people's strange stares at the couple as Paigee pumped Luffy's chest to remove the water from his system, Paigee didn't mind. For her, even if she was freezing to death right now or even being laughed and taunted at, she didn't mind; as long as Luffy was there and that's what really mattered. Although Luffy was half conscious, Paigee whispered, "Merry Christmas, Luffy." She smiled before she trembled uncontrollably at the night's sudden breeze.

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**BOOM! More than 2,000 words! \m/ Am I awesome or what? haha never mind that. I've been running out of ideas lately since my mind is already thinking of ideas for the future and not the present story ._. Although them ideas are sweet! o I'm sure you guys will be flustered! *rubs hands together* It's just perfect. The twists and the turns~ and sweet sweet moments ;D I can't wait to let you guys read them, but actually everyone has to wait. My last update is probably Chapter 12 for now. I have to cram these projects, no I am not done with it yet. ^^ I did some but I wasn't able to finish :P Anyways, remember not to get your hopes up :3 Those 'sweet' anticipated moments will happen around Chapter 20+ and above. Quite close if you ask me... Thanks again for reading :D It makes my day~**


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